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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23362579">In Need of a Break</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekindworthreading/pseuds/thekindworthreading'>thekindworthreading</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hamilton - Miranda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Slash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:15:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,154</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23362579</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekindworthreading/pseuds/thekindworthreading</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas finds Alexander overworked and hurt. Of course he has to help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alexander Hamilton/Thomas Jefferson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>178</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In Need of a Break</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alexander doesn´t look up when he hears the door to his office opening, he can already imagine who it is.</p><p>“Hamilton, we need to talk.”, Jefferson´s voice snarls through the office.</p><p>“Need we?”, he gives back, continuing to write.</p><p>“Yes, we need to- you´re bleeding.”</p><p>At that Hamilton looks up confused.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Jefferson takes a step forward and catches Hamilton´s arm, turning it around and shows the cut on the underside to Alexander.</p><p>“Didn´t you notice?”</p><p>Alexander shakes his head, staring as a drop of blood runs down his arm, the blood a dark contrast to his nearly white skin, a result from seeing the sun far too little.</p><p>“-lton? Alexander!”</p><p>He tears his eyes away from his arm and looks up at Thomas.</p><p>“You are terribly pale.”, Jefferson comments.</p><p>He frowns.</p><p>“You don´t look quite well.”</p><p>Just as Jefferson mentions it, Alexander notices that his words are true. He feels dazed, lightheaded even. The stinging pain in his arm increasing with every moment.</p><p>“I…”, he trails off, shaking his head. He doesn´t even know what he had wanted to say.</p><p>Thomas releases his arm and with the contact gone all Alexander has to concentrate on is the blood pouring out of his arm. Dripping and dripping and- a hand cupping his face snatches him out of his daze, as he stares into Jefferson´s dark eyes. He sees his lips moving, but he can´t hear a thing Thomas is saying, his heart beating too loud. So, so loud. Far too loud.</p><p>Thomas shakes him, the grip on his hand growing painful.</p><p>“Alexander, listen!”, he says, his voice laced with concern. “You have to breathe more calmly. Breath with me.”</p><p>He presses Alexander´s hand against his ribcage, taking in deep and slow breaths. Alexander can feel his lungs expanding under his palm and tries to match the pace of his breathing.</p><p>“That´s right. Just like that.”, Thomas mumbles. “You are doing so great. In and out.”</p><p>Thomas´ hand has moved from his cheek to his neck, drawing calming circles with his thumb on his skin.</p><p>Alexander´s gaze flickers down to his arm, but Thomas instantly lifts his head with a finger under his chin.</p><p>“Look at me.”</p><p>Alexander nods slightly, and Thomas gives him a small smile.</p><p>“Good. You´re doing great.”</p><p>Alexander can feel himself slowly coming back to himself. He doesn´t feel so lightheaded anymore and he can think almost normally again. He can also feel the cut burning and draws in a sharp breath when he moves his arm.</p><p>Thomas´ hand leaves his neck and he feels a strange sense of disappointment at it. Thomas takes out a handkerchief and carefully wraps it around Alexander´s arm, securing it with a knot. It stings, but at least he doesn´t have to see the blood anymore.</p><p>They stay in this position for another few minutes, until Alexander is fully back to himself again.</p><p>“Should I bring you home?”, Thomas finally asks, and Alexander blinks at him confused.</p><p>“Home? But it´s-“, he stops, noticing that he doesn´t even know what time it is.</p><p>“It´s already ten, Alexander.”</p><p>He tries to not let his confusion show, but the exhaustion causes his body not to obey his mind.</p><p>Thomas hesitates a second, before he sighs.</p><p>“My house is closer, I believe. Will your wife miss you when you don´t come home?”</p><p>Alexander blinks up at him.</p><p>“My wife…? Oh yeah… no, she is not home. She´s away with the children.”</p><p>Thomas nods.</p><p>“Okay. Let´s go.”, he says, getting up from his crouch and stretches.</p><p>Alexander tries to stand up as well, but his legs don´t seem to really respond, and he slumps against Thomas, who easily holds him up with an arm around his waist.</p><p>Alexander can feel his face burning, but instead of taunt there is only concern written all over Thomas´ face.</p><p>“I´m sorry.”, he says at the same time as Thomas says: “Jesus, Alexander, when was the last time you have eaten something?”</p><p>Thomas looks at loss for a moment, and Alexander can do nothing more than hold onto him and hope that Thomas won´t let go, not sure if he could keep himself up without help. After a moment of hesitation Thomas picks Alexander up, and all he can manage as an objection is a confused “what?”. All Alexander can do is hold onto Thomas´ shirt, while everything spins. Thomas´ concern only grows as he carries the younger man, who is smaller than he is, but it still shouldn´t be that easy to carry him. He is glad that he doesn´t meet anyone on the short walk to his house. He puts Alexander down, and fumbles with his keys for a moment, before he unlocks the door, and helps Alexander in. He leads him to his bedroom and gives him some of his own clothes, before leaving him to get food.</p><p>When he gets back into the bedroom, Alexander is curled up under the blanket, looking young and lost. He puts down the tray on the bed and sits down on the other side, watching Alexander hesitantly eat a few bites of the bread, before he starts to shove the food in his mouth like it´s the first thing he ate in days. Which, guessing from his built, isn´t that farfetched.</p><p>“I can bring you more.”, Thomas says quietly, once Alexander is finished, but he shakes his head.</p><p>“Thanks, but I´m feeling sick already.”</p><p>Thomas nods, putting the tray away.</p><p>“You should sleep.”, he says.</p><p>Alexander nods.</p><p>“I probably should.”</p><p>He hesitates a moment.</p><p>“Will you… will you stay with me?”</p><p>Thomas nods instantly. He hadn´t even thought about leaving him. Not in this state he is in.</p><p>“I will just write a letter to Washington, letting him know that he shouldn´t expect us in tomorrow.”</p><p>Hamilton is up in an instant.</p><p>“No, Thomas. I can work. I can´t let him down.”</p><p>Alexander is swaying on his feet, but he holds his ground, looking challenging at Thomas.</p><p>“You won´t let him down if you stay home one day. He wouldn´t want for you to work yourself to death, now would he?”</p><p>At that Hamilton seems to deflate, and he lets Jefferson ease him back into bed.</p><p>“I will join you in a minute.”</p><p>True to his word, Thomas is back after a short time, and gets under the blanket. They lay there in silence for a moment, before Alexander whispers: “Thank you.”</p><p>It´s almost inaudible, but in the quiet of the bedroom it´s deafening.</p><p>“Don´t mention it.”</p><p>Thomas feels movement besides him, and then Alexander curls up in his arms. As he holds the skinny man close, Thomas swears to himself that he will fix him.</p>
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